Grizzlies might be coming to a park or trail near you

Apex predators have already saturated the landscape in Northeast Washington. Now, the U.S. Department of Fish & Wildlife and the National Park Service want to add more by reintroducing grizzlies to the North Cascades.

Both federal agencies proposing reintroduction of grizzlies into the North Cascades have invoked Section 10(j) of the Endangered Species Act as the trigger for bringing the predators back to Washington. Section 10(j) states federal agencies should, “facilitate reintroductions of listed species by allowing the Service to designate ‘experimental populations.’”

The problem with Section 10(j) is that it is a direct violation of Washington State law. RCW 77.12.035 reads, “Grizzly bears shall not be transplanted or introduced into the state.”

Beyond posing a legal entanglement between state and federal agencies, the proposed reintroduction of grizzlies in the North Cascades raises another fundamental question for people in the northeastern part of Washington. When is enough, enough?

After gray wolves migrated back to the state in 2007, hikers, farmers, and ranchers were faced with the need to adapt to a new way of interacting with the outdoors. Direct contact between gray wolves and people is exceptionally rare. However, Washington state’s farmers and ranchers are all too aware that interactions between gray wolves and livestock have increased over time. The increase in those interactions has led to a proposal to downlist gray wolves from their current endangered status to sensitive on a state level. Gray wolves are currently not listed as a federal endangered species in the state.

The shift in agency attitude toward gray wolf management sparked a lawsuit from 11 environmental activist groups which oppose downlisting the predators, regardless of the cost to communities and livestock. In the most recent Washington Gray Wolf Conservation and Management Annual Report from the Washington State Department of Fish & Wildlife, 15 cattle and two sheep were confirmed killed by gray wolves in 2022.

The significant difference between gray wolves and grizzlies is in their behaviors. While gray wolves are elusive, bears are not. According to the Wyoming Game & Fish Department, there are several signs to watch out for when encountering bears including paw swatting, jaw popping, and vocalizations that alert people to a bear that is stressed and may pose a danger to people. While grizzly attacks are considered rare, two people are believed to have been killed by a grizzly in Canada earlier this week. A woman was also reportedly attacked by a grizzly in Glacier National Park the same day.

When federal agencies begin entertaining notions of making a landscape “whole” by reintroducing large predators, it becomes paramount for boots-on-the-ground knowledge to rule the discussions. Locals who have been surviving the influx of gray wolves and, cougars before them, should be given the floor. And their words given the due consideration they deserve after vigilant adherence to the rules that have been set for them and careful steps to keep their families and animals safe.

A reintroduction of grizzlies, with a target population of 200 established over a span of the next 60 to 100 years puts state agencies, hikers, recreational fishers, farmers, and ranchers directly in the path predators with no natural competition. The reintroduction also creates another avenue for conflict between environmental activists and people in opposition to having grizzlies in their backyards.

The common theme that often emerges in the conflict between activists and locals is one of romanticism versus reality. Activists often envision a utopian experience in which predators have only positive contributions to the environment around them. The reality is often much more complex with a combination of positive – the harvesting of ailing wildlife – and negative – the depredation of livestock and pets – effects.

In a region of our state that has already been asked to should the burden of apex predator reintroduction and management, it seems cruel to add another beast into the mix. Setting aside the violation of RCW, until locals are empowered to protect themselves and their animals without fear of fines or jail time, any exploration of additional predator introductions into the northeastern portion of our state should come to a full stop.

–– Pam Lewison is the Director for the Center for Agriculture, Washington Policy Center. She can be reached at plewison@washingtonpolicy.org